Happy Museum are delighted to receive funding from the Arts Council England‘s Museum Resilience Fund to support our continuing partnership with People United and in particular to launch  a new Affiliate Scheme in autumn 2016.

In response to global challenges such as climate change and financial instability there is a vital need to develop resilience in museums and their communities. There is increasing understanding of the vital linkage between sustainability and well-being and how addressing these together may contribute to a more resilient future.  The Affiliate Scheme will be a sustainable national peer learning network focusing on wellbeing and sustainability,  It builds on five years of Happy Museum learning and will develop skilled and diverse practitioners, engaging at least 20 museums. Affiliates will commit to Happy Museum principles, develop related activity and share learning through a facilitated programme brokered by Happy Museum.

 ‘The [seheme] understands that museums are well-placed to open up wider societal conversations about difficult and challenging topics and should model this by developing resilience in their own staff and communities. … it acknowledges that investment in people is key!’ Museum consultee

If you would like to hear more about this and other developments do sign up for our regular newsletters (using the sign up to the right of this blog) or email us at Happymuseumproject@gmail.com with Affiliate in the heading.

“We are thrilled to receive this funding, in particular the opportunity it affords to launch our new Affiliate Scheme offering a peer learning network framed by Happy Museum thinking.  We look forward to working with People United to develop our work across the Museum sector”  Hilary Jennings, The Happy Museum.

In addition to the new Affiliate Scheme Happy Museum will embed practice through our 5-year Study  (Manchester, Derby and Woodhorn Museums, Lightbox, Beaney House and Ceredigion); develop and share tools and resources for the wider sector; and host a major annual advocacy event.

We are particularly grateful to People United who have supported us since 2015 in establishing ourselves as a CIC and developing our 5-Year Plan during which we will continue to develop and build on learning; create a sustainable community of practice and develop an exit strategy and legacy for the close of the organisation in 2020.  People United explore the social value of the arts and support organisations and individuals across the UK that share the philosophy that the arts, culture and creativity can play an important role in building a kinder, more cohesive society.

“We are delighted to have been awarded Arts Council England’s Museum Resilience Fund to further develop our partnership with The Happy Museum, enabling us to support their work to build more sustainable and resilient museums”  said Tina Corri, Chief Executive, People United.   We look forward to working more closely with them over the coming years.